WASHINGTON — Even by Capitol Hill standards, it’s hard to find a job more partisan than chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (or its GOP counterpart at the National Republican Congressional Committee).

Its basic function is twofold: raise money and spend money — all with the goal of electing fellow party members to the U.S. House. A preferred candidate also knows how to lob a rhetorical bomb or two, sometimes at the expense of relationships with lawmakers from the other party.

For many legislators — especially those near the political center — taking the job is a risky proposition. It’s one reason why Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., initially hesitated in taking a similar job with Senate Democrats.

But the potential drawbacks aren’t stopping U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, from pursuing the DCCC chairmanship for the 2016 election cycle.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is expected to select the next DCCC chair sometime in the next week, following the decision by U.S. Rep. Steve Israel of New York to decline another term at the helm.

Polis reportedly is on the short list of contenders. Also said to be in the running: Donna Edwards of Maryland, Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts, Lois Frankel of Florida, Jim Himes of Connecticut and Joaquin Castro of Texas.

Unlike many other leadership positions, chair of the DCCC is not up for a vote — it’s Pelosi’s decision alone. So it’s hard to determine which candidate is “leading” the behind-the-scenes fight.

Polis’ office declined to comment on the state of the DCCC battle, though there are reasons for him to be optimistic.

In addition to his own personal wealth, Polis has shown an aptitude for fundraising. As of Oct. 15, he had raised about $470,000 this cycle for his so-called “leadership PAC,” a tool lawmakers use to bring in dollars for fellow party members.

Among the largest donors: Wall Street types and supporters from the computer, music and internet industries (such as Google), according to the Center for Responsive Politics, an independent watchdog.

WASHINGTON — Incoming U.S. Rep. Ken Buck has tapped outgoing state Sen. Greg Brophy as his first chief of staff.

It’s an unusual move — picking another politician to take on a role often reserved for behind-the-scenes types. But in a short interview, Brophy said he expects the two Colorado Republican legislators to make it work.

It’s his experience as a state legislator, however, that Brophy said would make him an effective chief of staff.

“When you are a state legislator, you basically have no staff,” he said. “I have spent the last 12 years being my own press secretary and my own scheduler and my own chief of staff and my own everything.”

Buck, now the Weld County district attorney, will represent the 4th Congressional District, held by Rep. Cory Gardner, who was elected to the U.S. Senate.

Leave it to college kids to come up with the oddest attack video of Colorado’s campaign season. The College Republican National Committee compares GOP gubernatorial nominee Bob Beauprez, the tough-talking bison rancher, to a fancy wedding dress in a video released Wednesday.

The 60-second spot is being adapted for various races in 16 states playing off the TLC reality TV show “Say Yes to the Dress,” which chronicles the angst of brides-to-be. In the videos posted on Youtube, a betrothed young woman named Brittany, aka “Undecided Voter,” wants to wear “The Bob Beauprez,” a stylish, strapless number — I’m guessing but I doubt the makers of this video ever met Bob Beauprez, who’s way more cowboy than couture — while her mother, Gloria, prefers “The John Hickenlooper,” a frumpy thing the daughter reacts to with horror.

Then the ad gets inaccurate, starting with mispronouncing Beauprez’s name (it’s BOW-pray, not BOO-pray, kids). “The John Hickenlooper” is said to come with additional costs: a bad economy, lower educational standards and a billion-dollar tax hike.

U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman’s bill aimed at speeding construction and reining in costs at three major Veterans Affairs hospital construction projects — including one in Aurora — won unanimous approval Wednesday from the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. A spokesman says a vote by the full House is likely next week.

The bill, introduced by Coffman in February, is the culmination of efforts by Coffman and others to scrutinize massive cost overruns averaging $300 million on the Aurora hospital project and several others.

If approved by Congress, the bipartisan bill would require the appointment of emergency managers from the Army Corps of Engineers to provide independent oversight of each of three projects, also including hospitals in New Orleans and Orlando. The corps has a better track record of keeping costs in check. Another provision focuses on streamlining the change-order process.

“Today we are one step closer to ensuring that the VA has proper oversight and expertise guiding the management and completion of the Aurora VA Medical Center and other major VA hospital construction projects,” Coffman said in a news release. The Republican is seeking re-election this year against Democratic challenger Andrew Romanoff.

WASHINGTON — Using the Ray Rice case as an example, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado urged House leaders on Wednesday to hold a hearing on “the problem of domestic violence by professional athletes,” according to a letter released by her office.

Her request comes as a media storm rages around the release of a video that shows Rice, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, attacking his then-fiancee at an Atlantic City hotel.

“Unfortunately, this is not the only incident of domestic violence among players in the NFL,” noted the veteran Democratic lawmaker. “A USA Today database of NFL player arrests identified at least 33 separate incidents where NFL players on 22 NFL teams were charged with domestic violence or sexual assault in the past five years.”

But DeGette, writing to colleagues on the House energy and commerce committee, warned that domestic abuse isn’t limited to the NFL — though penalties “on players who commit such violence vary widely.”

“As the Committee with primary jurisdiction over professional sports,” she added. “We could play an important role in standing up for victims of domestic violence by asking professional sports leagues to explain in a public hearing how they are acting to educate their players about violence against women, what they are doing to prevent them from engaging in such violence, and whether they are administering appropriate punishments for athletes who commit violence against women.”

WASHINGTON — At this stage, there’s little doubt about the long reach of U.S. surveillance agencies — from the well-documented dragnets by the National Security Agency to newer revelations about databases that are available to a wide range of U.S. authorities.

Asked what else was out there, Udall was largely circumspect, as the Colorado Democrat is limited by rules regarding classified materials. Still, he mentioned “geo-location technology” as well as business records such as “financial statements” and “travel invoices” as areas in which he wanted to know more.

“There are programs that we continue to ask questions about,” Udall said.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman is up with his first television ad today, and the 30-second spot looks as if it was written to endear the Aurora Republican to female voters in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District.

In the 30-second spot, a female narrator touts Coffman’s military career and notes that he “bucked his own party” last year helping renew the Violence Against Women Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law.

Lawmakers had feuded over the measure for months, before Congress agreed to expand protections in the bill to help gays and lesbians, as well as immigrants and Native Americans, against domestic abuse.

In response to Coffman’s ad, a Romanoff aide called the spot disingenuous and pointed to Coffman’s previous vote against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which makes it easier for workers to challenge unequal pay, as evidence of his real record.

“It’s what the congressman is doing in Washington — not just what he’s saying in Colorado — that matters,” said Denise Baron, a Romanoff spokeswoman. “If you want to call yourself a champion for equality, you don’t block equal pay and you don’t restrict women’s access to health care.”

WASHINGTON — With acceptance of marijuana use growing nationally, a panel of U.S. House lawmakers on Thursday tried to figure out how authorities could better police the nation’s highways, railways and airways for the threat posed by the potential of more “drugged drivers.”

But by the end of the nearly two-hour hearing, answers and agreement were in short supply — other than the shared admission that more research was needed. “We need a lot more science here,” said U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va.

In particular, lawmakers and witnesses debated the overall danger posed by stoned drivers, as well as potential methods that law enforcement officials could use to test for impairment.

“We have no standard test for marijuana for drivers,” said U.S. Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican who has called several hearings on marijuana. But he argued there was in an inherent danger in other states following Colorado and Washington state in legalizing recreational sales of the drug. “We are going to have a lot more people stoned on the highway and there will be consequences,” Mica said.

Research on marijuana usage on driving has been limited, as well as the degree to which legalization could impact those figures.

WASHINGTON — A U.S. House panel has uncovered more safety problems at the CDC ahead of a planned hearing today on the agency’s response to a June incident in which 84 scientists and staff were exposed to anthrax.

Though no one got sick, the scare at an Atlanta facility of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has led to several investigations of the CDC’s safety practices.

The latest findings, in which U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo. contributed, identified widespread safety lapses at CDC laboratories. Here’s the crux of the trouble, according to a memo released today:

“Many of these safety problems were paperwork violations, such as the failure to provide appropriate documentation of staff training or missing signatures on biosafety plans . Others involved potentially more significant problems, such as a malfunctioning exhaust systems on biosafety cabinets.”

US President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event at the Pepsi Center on October 25, 2011.

2 PM (EASTERN) UPDATE: Adds whereabouts of Sen. Mark Udall.

WASHINGTON — The White House announced this morning that a planned visit by President Barack Obama to Denver this week now will include a stop at the city’s Cheesman Park.

He’ll deliver remarks on the economy, according to the administration. No other details of the Wednesday event were immediately available.

The remarks at Cheesman Park are in addition to a previously-announced fundraising stop that day in Denver. Obama already was scheduled to raise cash in the city for Senate Democrats, including Colorado’s Mark Udall.

The first-term senator won’t be at Cheesman Park, however. A campaign spokesman said Udall booked his plane ticket to Denver before the White House announced the event.

“This has nothing to do with wanting to be with him [Obama] or not,” said Chris Harris, the Udall spokesman. “This is just logistics.”

But that didn’t stop Republicans from taking a shot.

“It’s disappointing that Mark Udall doesn’t have the courage to face the public and own up to his failed record and broken promises,” said Ryan Call, state GOP chair, in a statement.

Udall won’t be the only major Democrat in a tight race this year to miss the Cheesman Park event. Gov. John Hickenlooper and Andrew Romanoff, a former state House speaker now running for the U.S. House, also will not be in attendance.

Lynn Bartels thinks politics is like sports but without the big salaries and protective cups. The Washington Post's "The Fix" blog has named her one of Colorado's best political reporters and tweeters.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.